HYPERTENSION/BLOOD PRESSURE

CALCIUM
(1 gram = 1000 milligrams)

1. A daily dose of calcium (1200 mg) plus vitamin D (800 mg) is more effective than calcium alone in reducing systolic pressure in elderly women.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Apr;86(4):16337.
Effects of a short-term vitamin D(3) and calcium supplementation on blood pressure and parathyroid hormone levels in elderly women.
Pfeifer M, Begerow B, Minne HW, Nachtigall D, Hansen C.

2. A daily dose of calcium (1 gram) for 1 week increases sodium in the urine of patients with hypertension.

Am J Hypertens. 1993 Nov;6(11 Pt 1):9337.
Augmentation of the renal tubular dopaminergic activity by oral calcium supplementation in patients with essential hypertension.
Dazai Y, Iwata T, Hiwada K.
PMID 8305167

3. A daily dose of calcium (1 gram/day) during pregnancy, reduces preeclampsia and hypertension.

S Afr Med J. 2003 Mar;93(3):2248.
Calcium supplementation to prevent preeclampsiaa systematic review.
Hofmeyr GJ, Roodt A, Atallah AN, Duley L.

4. A daily dose of calcium (2 grams/day) for 20 to 28 weeks significantly reduced incidence of pregnancy induced hypertension compared to lower doses or placebo.

Chin Med J (Engl). 1995 Jan;108(1):579.
Calcium supplementation during pregnancy for reducing pregnancy induced hypertension.
Cong K, Chi S, Liu G.

5. Compared to placebo, a daily dose of calcium (2 gram) reduced pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia in women with first pregnancies.

Obstet Gynecol. 1994 Sep;84(3):34953.
Prevention of pregnancy-induced hypertension by calcium supplementation in  angiotensin IIsensitive patients.
SanchezRamos L, Briones DK, Kaunitz AM, Delvalle GO, Gaudier FL, Walker CD.

6. A daily dose of calcium (2 grams/day) reduced incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension to a greater degree than 1 gram/day or placebo.

Zhonghua Fu Chan Ke Za Zhi. 1993 Nov;28(11):6579, 700.
[Calcium and pregnancy induced hypertension]
Cong KJ.

COENZYME Q10

7. A dose of coenzyme Q10 (60 mg/twice/day) for 12 weeks reduced systolic blood pressure in men and women with hypertension.

South Med J. 2001 Nov;94(11):1112-7. 
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in isolated systolic hypertension.
Burke BE, Neuenschwander R, Olson RD.
PMID: 11780680

MAGNESIUM
(1 gram = 1000 milligrams)

8. A daily dose of magnesium oxide (1 gram) for 2 weeks reduced blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension.

Jpn Heart J. 1992 Nov;33(6):785-800. 
Effects of dietary magnesium supplementation on diurnal variations of blood pressure and plasma Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in essential hypertension.
Haga H.
PMID: 1338597

QUERCETIN

Animal Study

9. A daily dose of quercetin (10 mg per kilogram body weight) reduced systolic, diastolic and arterial blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Br J Pharmacol. 2001 May;133(1):117-24. 
Antihypertensive effects of the flavonoid quercetin in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Duarte J, Perez-Palencia R, Vargas F, Ocete MA, Perez-Vizcaino F, Zarzuelo A, Tamargo J.

SELENIUM
(1 microgram = 0.001 milligrams)

10. Compared to placebo, a daily dose of liquid selenium (100 micrograms/day) for 6 to 8 weeks reduced pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Chin Med J (Engl). 1994 Nov;107(11):870-1. 
Selenium supplement in the prevention of pregnancy induced hypertension.
Han L, Zhou SM.
PMID: 7867399

TAURINE

11. A daily dose of taurine (6 gram) for 7 days significantly reduced blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension.

Amino Acids. 2002;23(4):381-93. 
Treatment of hypertension with oral taurine: experimental and clinical studies.
Militante JD, Lombardini JB.

Animal Study

12. A daily dose of taurine in drinking water (1.5%) reduced ventricular hypertrophy in rats with salt-induced hypertension.

Amino Acids. 2000;19(3-4):643-65.
Effects of high salt diets and taurine on the development of hypertension in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat.
Dawson R Jr, Liu S, Jung B, Messina S, Eppler B.

Animal Study

13. Ethanol in drinking water increased hypertension in rats. This reaction was eliminated by adding taurine (1% in drinking water) to the ethanol solution.

Hypertens Res. 2000 May;23(3):277-84. 
Oral taurine supplementation prevents the development of ethanol-induced hypertension in rats.
Harada H, Kitazaki K, Tsujino T, Watari Y, Iwata S, Nonaka H, Hayashi T, Takeshita T, Morimoto K, Yokoyama M.

Animal Study

14. Fructose in drinking water increased blood pressure, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in rats. This reaction was eliminated by adding taurine (2% in drinking water) to the fructose solution.

Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1999 Oct;77(10):749-54.  (Animal Study)
Taurine attenuates hypertension and improves insulin sensitivity in the  fructose-fed rat, an animal model of insulin resistance.
Anuradha CV, Balakrishnan SD.

Animal Study

15. Supplementing drinking water with taurine (3% solution) for 4 weeks reduced salt-induced hypertension in rats.

J Hypertens. 1994 Jun;12(6):653-61.  (Animal Study)
Taurine amplifies renal kallikrein and prevents salt-induced hypertension in Dahl rats.
Ideishi M, Miura S, Sakai T, Sasaguri M, Misumi Y, Arakawa K.

VITAMIN B1/THIAMINE

16. A daily dose of oral thiamine (10 mg) reduced systolic blood pressure in elderly subjects compared to those receiving placebo. Those receiving thiamine had better sleep, more energy and reduced weight.

Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Oct;66(4):925-8.
The response to treatment of subclinical thiamine deficiency in the elderly.
Wilkinson TJ, Hanger HC, Elmslie J, George PM, Sainsbury R.

17. Compared to placebo, doses of thiamine (50 mg), vitamin B12 (250 micrograms) and pyridoxine  (30 mg) and riboflavin (5 mg) for 3 months reduced the frequency, duration and intensity of leg cramps by 86% in elderly, hypertensive patients.

J Clin Pharmacol. 1998 Dec;38(12):1151-4.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of vitamin B complex in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps in elderly patients with hypertension.
Chan P, Huang TY, Chen YJ, Huang WP, Liu YC.
PMID: 11301568

VITAMIN C/ASCORBIC ACID

Animal Study

18. Daily treatment with vitamin C (150 mg per kilogram body weight) and vitamin E (350 mg per kilogram body weight) for 15 days reduced blood pressure, oxidative stress and improved vascular function in rats.

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2003 Aug;42(2):211-7. 
Vitamins C and E improve endothelial dysfunction in intrauterine-undernourished rats by decreasing vascular superoxide anion concentration.
Franco Mdo C, Akamine EH, Aparecida de Oliveira M, Fortes ZB, Tostes RC, Carvalho MH, Nigro D.
PMID: 12883324

VITAMIN E/TOCOTRIENOL

Animal Study

19. Different doses of gamma-tocotrienol (vitamin E) (15 mg, 30 mg and 150 mg per kilogram diet) all decreased blood pressure, lipid peroxides in hypertensive rats and increased antioxidant activity including superoxide dismutase activity.

Clin Exp Hypertens. 1999 Nov;21(8):1297-313. 
Effect of gamma-tocotrienol on blood pressure, lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant status in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).
Newaz MA, Nawal NN.
PMID: 10574414

Animal Study

20. Compared to placebo, doses of vitamin E (5000 IU per kilogram diet) for 15 days prevented induced hypertension in rats.

Hypertension.  2001 Sep;38(3 Pt 2):655-9. 
Antioxidants block angiotensin II-induced increases in blood pressure and endothelin.
Ortiz MC, Manriquez MC, Romero JC, Juncos LA.
PMID: 11566950

21. Treatment with vitamin C (1000 mg/day) or vitamin E (1000 IU/day) both reduced hypertension, improved oxidative stress and improved vascular function in stroke-prone rats.

Hypertension.  2001 Sep;38(3 Pt 2):606-11. 
Antioxidant effects of vitamins C and E are associated with altered activation of vascular NADPH oxidase and superoxide dismutase in stroke-prone SHR.
Chen X, Touyz RM, Park JB, Schiffrin EL.
PMID: 11566940